USB Type-C is the future... but the future isn't here yet. Odds are pretty good that most of your electronics still use the Type-A cable standard (the usual rectangular USB port that we've all become accustomed to). So for the next few years, converter cables and adapters will be needed in the same way that we used to need converters between Mini and MicroUSB cable types. Unfortunately, that's going to be the case for the Nexus 5X - the only cable and charger in the box is the reversible Type-C at both ends.

That's in contrast to the more expensive Nexus 6P, which comes with both a Type-C-to-Type-C cable and a Type-C-to-Type-A cable, presumably specifically because it's more expensive. After hearing some rumblings in the community, we asked Google directly about the cables included with the 5X. Here's the official response from a Google representative:

Nexus 5X only has a type C-C cable. Nexus 6P has both a C-C cable and a A-C cable.

It's also confirmed on this Google support page - inside the box is a C-to-C cable, a compatible wall wart power adapter, a SIM key removal tool, and documentation.

If you don't have any other Type-C equipment, you'll be able to charge your phone from a wall outlet, but that's it - you'll need adapters for charging from a computer or a car, and for syncing data or modifying your phone with a standard PC. Luckily, accessory manufacturers are already creating products that support both Type-A and Type-C plugs. You can find A-to-C cables from electronics retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and the Google Store now; get in an order quick and it should arrive before your shiny new Nexus phone.

Comments

No time, I tried to get my order in ASAP. Previous years of Google Play purchases have scarred me.

Serge Cebrian

Yep..my thoughts exactly

Cory Wilson

Minor, but stupid. Why put a cable that's useless except for charging with a phone? Hardly any motherboards have this shit and no pc case manufacturers have front USB type c port's so it's basically just a charge only cable

Andrew Palmer

To keep costs down?
The Moto G doesn't even ship with a charger.

bozzykid

The latest Moto G ships with a charger.

Andrew Palmer

Not sure on the 3rd Gen. I had the first and second and neither of them do. The 3rd Gen seems to be more expensive than the last two which I guess is why it's now shipping with a charger.

I do not think it's the Qualcomm one. The charger is 3 amps, so I'm not sure.

Thomas Larsen

It's not using a "quick charging" standard, it's just using what the USB Type-C spec allows.

Cub

That's kind of what I thought. Since no standard was ever mentioned...

It had to be a USB one. Which, itself, is a standard.

limeypete33

I have a dumb question. I have pre-ordered the 5x, and I own a Chromebook Pixel so I have a USB-C charger already. Can I use the Pixel charger on the phone and vice versa? Or will my Pixel charger make the phone explode?

Hoorah. I will still wince a little bit when I plug it in for the first time! I think the best thing is I will be able to charge my Pixel (albeit slowly) from a tiny wall wart when I am travelling!

d

That's just cheap on Google's part. Trying to save a few bucks but not supplying a cable that most people would need.

d

*by not

mark

The cost would just be passed on though.

Pilz

It's not a big deal but I bought a 6P that includes it anyway

Jerrie Smith

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I know that YOU know that. But you're forgetting that sometimes you have to account for the lowest common denominator. I'm not even saying that's why the decided to go in that direction. I'm just saying it MIGHT be. If ALL type C adapters have the fast charging spec and only SOME type A adapters do it might make more sense in the long run to make the adapters only be C. But that logic only makes sense of ALL type C connectors have a fast charging spec built in.

yardie

The cable has nothing to do with the fast chargin. Its the same as a usb 3.0 cable just with a reversible connector

you are completely missing my point. My argument is that they could be using Type-C as a pre-req. to show that the adapter has fast charging capabilities.

yardie

Dude!!!
They could have used a type A cable and it still would have been fast charge capable

Whats so hard to understand?
People are not complaining about the type C at the end which goes in the phone, they care complaining about the fact that it is C to C. Which means they wont be able to use the cable on their PCs to transfer files

I am aware of that. Clearly you are not reading what I'm saying. Right now they are either expecting you to only charge with that cable or they are expecting it to be future proof. Either way my argument is about the requirement for the adapter.

Think about it, if the adapter had a type A connection and the user used a non quickcharge adapter they wouldn't see the benefits. I understand what the outrage is about but getting a C-A cable is pretty cheap so it's not really warranted. Again, my argument is that they need a cable for an adapter that strictly is type-C. I know you can quick charge over A but if they want to make Type-C synonymous with the quick charge tech then they have no choice but to have type-C adapters at least use quick charge 2.0

h_f_m

It doesn't look like the fast charger that comes with the 6P (or the 15W one that is sold separately) actually have a cable that disconnects. It LOOKS to be permanent.

h_f_m

I think the charger might just need to be a high enough wattage to charge quickly. The one that comes with the 6P is 15W, so 3A at 5v.. I think most previous USB chargers were either 700mA or 1A.

I would imagine if you have a 3A USB charger it MIGHT work.

h_f_m

I personally think the cable should be included so you can hook it up to your pc and transfer files or use adb/fastboot. The charging part for me is secondary.

you're probably also the type to want to have more than one cable. they probably figure it's an acceptable risk. It's not like you can't transfer over wifi this day and age.

h_f_m

I bought 2 extra chargers and an extra C to A cable with my 6P (not knowing a C to A came in the box, didn't read it) Whatever.. I'll leave one at work and one at home.

But when I switch my music out on my device, I always transfer the files off my NAS over WiFi. Pretty much the only thing I need the C to A cable for is adb/fastboot that I use when I want to fast-track an OTA or when I feel like wasting my time installing a new factory image like I did last night to my N5. :)

catalysto

Um... A cheap phone is cheaper for a reason. What do you expect?

JLV90

Being able to connect your phone to a computer for back up and resetting your phone should be standard if you spent more than $100 on your phone without needing to buy another cable

catalysto

And that's why it comes with a cable.

John Estep

So you can get it cheaper from Monoprice, so I say pay back google by not buying it from them :P

Kaleb Peters

I get that this is kind of annoying, and pretty stupid on Google's part, but surely it's not too hard to get a C-A cable elsewhere, rather than buying a whole new accessory to carry around.Belkin makes good quality accessories, and I'm sure that if you're on a budget there's plenty of cheap versions out there.

markp99

I just received 3 USB A-to-C cables in the mail. No big deal. I am ready to roll. I needed spares anyway for car & travel bag.

MJ

Why is Google nickel and diming the 5X? I am pretty sure at this point the more expensive 6P has slimmer profit margins.

dude

I don't know, but I feel like LG have something to do with it.

Droid

Gugl I gib you cabel gib me ois

Tyler

Should have just included a USB a-c and not the c-c but whatever.

JD

How can Google with all it's information on people and the market place always continue make incredibly stupid decisions?

Just_Some_Nobody

The people were crying so loudly for Type-C that Google couldn't hear anything else.
The people aren't always right.

JD

I get that they want to push the standard and also platform compatibility with their chromebooks but their reality distortion field is only 1/3 the power of Apples.

catalysto

Their information showed that people want a cheap phone like the original Nexus 5. This is what they get. It's not a stupid decision; it's a tradeoff for a lower price.

JD

People wanted good value for their money. Google interpreted that as PEOPLE WANT CHEAP. CHEAP = LOW PRICE ABOVE ALL ELSE!

catalysto

Yes, the Nexus 5X is a good value at a low price. If you want the extras, you have to pay for them.

JD

I'd like to find a place on this planet where the 5x offers 'Good' Value. If the landscape didn't change then maybe.

catalysto

Um... Anywhere.

JD

I agree. Two years ago it would have been good value anywhere.

catalysto

Also, today.

JD

Not today.

Yesterday, all my Nexus troubles seemed so far away.
Now it looks as though they're here to stay.Oh, I believe in Nexus 6p

Yeah, you're right. So that makes the phone pretty damn good then, right? If the only things wrong with it were choices made to bring the cost of the device down, they successfully made a good, budget priced phone.

Good_Ole_Pinocchio

That's the complete opposite of how you make a good budget priced phone in 2015. You add as much as you can while trying to keep cost low... Not add features then gimp them...like the camera, or the front facing single speaker...for example.

ScottDooley

What features do you propose they add and simultaneously keep cost low? It does cost money to make these things, and while there is most definitely a mark up in price, I'm sure they are selling these at little to no profit.

The header photo makes the phone look bronze. Not a bad looking colour for it.

ImNoHero

AirDroid

Roh_Mish

Fastboot

yardie

??????????????????

Mark

No biggie. Just buy a $2-$5 cable... for the 50% or less than NEED this functionality.

pauleycz

The Nexus 5X only makes me wish for a 5P model.

Ryan Steddy

Possibly a stupid question, but does a AC plug with a standard USB with a type a to type c cable still charge as fast as the included type c plug?

jonathan3579

As far as I'm aware, the C to A isn't any faster or slower than the C to C.

yardie

its still the same usb tech, just with a reversible connector

Ryan Steddy

Thanks that and your other comments explains it. So the type c isn't all that exciting especially with usb2.

yardie

its nothing special really
people used to bitch about not knowing which side should go up

so they came out with the C connector
its still regular usb, like like you have USB A, and USB B, now you have C lol. (B connectors are the ones that go in the back of printers...fyi). the only thing that changed is the connector.....nothing else.

jlmcr87x

Two solutions here with A+C usb:

1-Asrock USB 3.1/A+C

2-Asrock FRONT USB 3.1 PANEL

Omar Al Matar

My gripe with the includings is that why the Nexus 6P (P for premium) doesn't include some kind of earbuds with it :/

this adapter can work, its female micro usb to male usb-c . The usb-c part goes in the phone and the micro receives any a-micro cable or micro charger you already have. But i agree, google is cheap for not including a second cable or a adapter.

Well, you get what you ask for. So many people have been saying Type-C or nothing!
Have fun with that.

edude03

I legitimately don't understand why this is getting so much attention. The target audience of the Nexus 5(+X) are people who wouldn't plug their phone into their computer anyway. Even for myself I'd never plug my N6 into a PC if not for fast boot.

Anton Voloshin

Because you can't use any other charger you already have, neither USB, nor wireless. You have to take this one everywhere you go or buy more chagers/cables/adapters.

edude03

Again, I know we're all technical minded people here, but as a anecdote, I actually don't know anyone (myself included) who doesn't take their charger everywhere anyway. I take my charger everywhere because turbo chargers aren't common and the amount of juice I'd get plugging into someone's laptop or other charger for 15m wouldn't be worth the time. As well, other than people who have a charger in their car, once you leave the house you never know where you'll find another charger anyway. Especially with the popularity of the iPhone it's hard to just ask a random stranger at the library for a microUSB cable + charger and expect them to have it.

I think the people that really care about having a C to A cable probably have one or it's not a big deal for them to pop into best buy and get one and for everyone else... it's just another cable.

kirk

It's not about "attention". It is sharing useful information.

I bought my wife a 5X. It comes with a charger and cable that she'll use on her night stand. But, it doesn't come with a cable where she often plugs her phone for charging in other places (her computer at her office, her car, her laptop in the living room, and a big Anker battery pack when she travels). So I appreciate them sharing this information, I read this and jumped over to Amazon to buy a couple A to C cables.

See? useful

h_f_m

I'll gladly buy the cables, microusb sucks. It's fragile and keyed insertion. I'm hoping USB Type C is a little more durable. Plus I'm going to relish not having to think about which way is up, as 1st world problem as that is.

That's why I bought like 2 extra 15W chargers (turbo all the places!) and an extra C to A cable with my 6P.

I'll throw money at those cables any day to replace all my microusb ones.

surethom

With 4k recording it's sometimes good to copy over full quality to Pc & not just save to cloud. So quicker to copy over with cable than using AirDroid.

[Unrelated] I'm curious as to why Amazon doesn't buy Best Buy, take over their market share, close a few stores to consolidate overheads, and rebrand it "Amazon Electronics" or something like that so that brick-and-mortar stores can still be available to individuals if they want while limiting competition. Though, I suppose for consumers it's better they don't.

Thoughts?

Leonardo Baez

100% offtopic

yardie

Close a few stores? You mean fire hundreds of people? Anyway, completely off topic and irrelevant

1. I made it completely clear that the comment was unrelated to the main topic of the article.
2. The thought stemmed from his mention of the two retailers in the last paragraph
3. I'm only presenting a hypothetical to encourage discussion (again, albeit for a different topic), not endorsing it or encouraging the forced unemployment of said hundreds of people.
4. It's a comments section -- it's not like there's limited space for comments
5. My last sentence provides a counterpoint to my own logic.

mattcoz

That's ok, it's not like such a cable is critical to the developers that these devices are geared towards.

blindexecutioner

How do you develop on a phone without connecting it to a computer?

Renaldi I.

Thatsthejoke.gif

yardie

lol only developers purchase nexus devices?
what an ass lol

mattcoz

Did I say that? No, no I did not.

Nicktrance

Time to upgrade to Skylake xD

Mike O

That's fine. They only need to supply a charger. Just like any other phone nowadays. And come on, people don't need to plug into a computer anymore... aside from iPhones that forces you to hook up to crappy iTunes.

ddh819

I would probably buy extra cables to use in the car and at work anyway

M42

Not a big deal. My wife's MacBook didn't come with the other cable either, but we bought an adapter at BestBuy.

mike shwilly

That's not a good sign that Google wants to be a scum like Apple. At least Type C is actually a great new universal technology not like that lightning shit.

JW

Actually this is even a bigger reason for me to hold my 5X buy, more than just 2GB ram. I will need to buy new cable AND charger for (1) office, (2) home, (2) cars, (1) traveling to maintain my current setup. It is getting real expensive fast.

Btw, why do they have to make both ends type C? if not at least all the chargers would still works. The USB 3.0 on my Note 3 could use a newer cable but it was also compatible with type A and that was easier to adopt.

I know I know, if I am concerned about things like this, may be I am reading the wrong blog......

mike shwilly

If it charges fast and has a good battery life then you don't need that many chargers

Björn Lundén

The cables needed to allow you to use your old chargers are $2 each and some sellers even give you a few percent off if you buy more than 3 so it's hardly as big of a problem as you are making it out to be.

Jeff

This is the future, stop fighting it :)

C-C will be great after I get all the gear I'll need.

blindexecutioner

I've had that phone pre-ordered twice and both times I have cancelled. It just isn't a strong enough update over the 2013 Nexus 5 for me to drop $400 on it even though I have that new phone itch.

It's pretty cheap of google not to offer a $2 adapter though (which is probably more like .20 cents since it would not be retail). They are very, very clearly pushing people to the 6P and will use that as a reason not to offer a smaller Nexus next year. Had the 5X had the same specs as the 6P but with a 5.2" screen it would have outsold it.

dcdttu

You can also go to monoprice.com. It's apparently the same A to C cable that Google sales.

Leonardo Baez

That's odd. If you are buying a mid range phone... Most probably you dont have a type C in your pc.

yardie

a cable is $5
if you can afford a 400 dollars phone and don't have 5 dollars more to spend on a cable
then you have your priorities all effed up

Björn Lundén

They can be had for even less on eBay. I agree with your point though.

h_f_m

Ahhh crap.. I ordered a 128GB Frost 6P last night and included 2 extra 15W chargers and one A to C cable thinking it didn't come with one. Sigh... oh well only $12..

VAVA Mk2

Which part is number 1 again? I forget. These diagrams can be tricky.

Portzblitz

Ridic.

Matthew Fry

"..you'll be able to charge your phone from a wall outlet, but that's it*.."
*Unless you have the new chromebook pixel

Björn Lundén

Or have $2 to spend. ;)

Sean C

forget the adapter, buy a different cable if you don't like it. One with the connections you want. It's not about being cheap, it's about forcing the future. This new connector is here to stay, and on both ends this time. It's time to kill the old connector. Apple already did it on the new Macbooks. They actually dropped their proprietary display port and Thunderbolt and USB type A connectors, all for Type C.

Get N or get out

EeZeEpEe

Not really a deal breaker as I haven't had the need to connect my phone to a computer in years thanks to cloud storage and streaming services.